By rdnewsNOW staff

time for an update

City council gives first reading to Vehicle for Hire Bylaw

Nov 10, 2020 | 11:28 AM

Red Deer city council has given first reading to an updated Vehicle for Hire Bylaw.

City officials say the bylaw reflects input gathered from the public and various industry stakeholders over the past two years, and aligns with the principles and concepts adopted by city council in January to inform the bylaw – safety, customer service, equity, balancing the needs, and cost/opportunity for income.

“The proposed bylaw works to balance the regulations across the industry with the needs of the Red Deer market to allow for both new and traditional business models in the vehicle for hire industry,” said Amy Fengstad, Parking & Licensing Supervisor. “Under the bylaw, there is greater flexibility and autonomy for traditional taxi and limousine companies to make their own business decisions, and there is greater opportunity for new business models to operate under the bylaw, all while preserving safety and fairness across the industry.

Updates under the Vehicle for Hire bylaw include:

– Includes all Vehicles for hire: Taxi, Accessible Taxis, Designated Driver Services, Limousines and Transportation Network Companies

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– Reduction of mechanical inspections to only once per year for Transportation Network Companies and limousines

– Removal of the compliance inspection for all Vehicles for Hire

– Consolidation of the Brokerage Licence and Vehicle for Hire Driver Licence, along with corresponding fees.

– Creation of a 6-month short term Vehicle for Hire Driver Licence

– Change in the fee structure to reflect the number of vehicles in a Brokerage.

In addition, city council directed administration to bring back further information on the impacts of reducing the driver licence fee from $100 to $50.

The proposed bylaw is intended to be in effect September 1, 2021, pending council approval.